Archive · 12 Sep 2026
Modi and Putin’s New Delhi Car Diplomacy Draws Attention
Narendra Modi and Vladimir Putin met in New Delhi.
After their talks, they rode together in one car to an exhibition.
They had done something similar in Bishkek and Tianjin before.
Analysts call this friendly gesture “car diplomacy.”
Modi gave Putin a Russian translation of the Thirukkural.
The Thirukkural is a famous Tamil book about virtue, wealth and love.
It contains 1,330 short poems called couplets.
Putin was in India for the 18th BRICS Summit.
The leaders planned to discuss cooperation and important world and regional issues.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin travelled together to the INNOPROM Exhibition after bilateral talks in New Delhi.
The exhibition was organised by India’s and Russia’s ministries of industry and trade.
The leaders had previously shared cars in Bishkek on August 31 and in Tianjin last year.
Modi presented Putin with a Russian translation of the Thirukkural, containing 1,330 couplets on virtue, wealth and love.
Putin visited New Delhi for the 18th BRICS Summit, where leaders were expected to discuss cooperation and global and regional issues.
- Who
- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
- What
- They held bilateral talks, travelled together to the INNOPROM Exhibition and discussed cooperation ahead of the BRICS Summit.
- When
- Friday, ahead of the BRICS Summit scheduled for September 12-13; Putin had earlier met Modi in Bishkek on August 31.
- Where
- Bharat Mandapam and the INNOPROM Exhibition in New Delhi, India.
- Why
- The meeting took place before the BRICS Summit and involved discussions on shared priorities, cooperation and global and regional matters.
- Main event
- Modi and Putin travelled in the same car to the INNOPROM Exhibition after bilateral discussions.
- Location
- Bharat Mandapam and the INNOPROM Exhibition, New Delhi
- Previous shared rides
- Bishkek on August 31 and Tianjin last year
- Gift
- A Russian translation of the Thirukkural, presented by Modi to Putin
- Thirukkural
- A Tamil classic containing 1,330 couplets on virtue, wealth and love
- Summit
- Putin arrived for the 18th BRICS Summit, scheduled for September 12-13
- BRICS theme
- Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability
